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No Exit
"No Exit" is the seventh episode of Miami Vice's first season. The episode premiered on November 9, 1984. Summary Crockett & Tubbs try to bust an arms dealer who is also an abusive husband. Plot The Vice team is on a stakeout for a weapons deal, but nothing was happening and there are many civilians in the area, so Castillo shuts it down. Then the weapons dealers show up and pull a gun on Crockett for a possible rip-off. Crockett throws one of the dealers in his car and drives away, taking him in. The other one starts shooting indiscriminately before the van picks him up and starts shooting an automatic weapon at the Vice cops. No one is hurt, except Tubbs is screaming how he hates machine guns. The guy Crockett took for the ride said the gun dealers were called Ramone (Coati Mundi) and Gentile, but the main supplier is international gun runner Tony Amato, and Crockett & Tubbs want wiretaps on his home, phone, boat, office, etc. They & electronics whiz Lester go to Amato's house, plant the bugs, and plan for observation from the bay. After Lester sets up their electronic survillence on the St. Vitus Dance, Federal agents board the boat and want to take over the bugs and stakeout. After a little power play, the agents tell them some Stinger missiles were stolen from a National Armory and are fearful Amato will sell the weapons to terrorists to take down a commercial jetliner. They will allow the bugs to remain in place, the Vice cops get Amato, the agents want the Stingers, but Agent McIntyre (Tom Mardirosian) will remain. While observing Amato (Bruce Willis) they find he is very abusive to his wife, Rita (Katherine Borowitz), throwing her into the pool while fully dressed, then taking off and leaving her anyway. They then monitor Rita calling a friend to arrange a hitman to take Tony out. After playing the tape of Rita's conversation to Special Agent Nick Pappas (Norman Parker) who does not believe that Rita would have her husband killed, and takes no action. Amato's Jamaican contact, Dupass, is heading into Miami to arrange for the sale of the arms, including the Stingers. Dupass is intercepted at Miami International Airport and replaced with Tubbs. Meanwhile, Crockett overhears Rita receiving a call from the hitman her friend arranged, and a meet is set up in a park. Crockett intercepts the hitman before he sees Rita and takes his place. Rita tells Crockett she can't go through with having Amato killed, she fears for her life if he found out. Crockett identifies himself as a cop and takes her to OCB. Crockett & Tubbs ensure Rita that they have the house bugged and they can hear everything, but that she needs to go back to Amato's house and not give Amato any indication he is being watched. Castillo said that there must be someone waiting in the wings regarding Amato, and to watch him closely. Tubbs (as Dupass) meets with Amato, Ramone & Gentile and is shown how the Stingers work, and they demonstrate one to show how effective they are. They meet that evening in a bar and finalize the deal. Amato returns home and Crockett (who is observing) has to stand by while Amato abuses Rita physically as well as verbally. At OCB, the Federal agents want to get the Stingers while they have the chance, but Crockett, Tubbs & Castillo all want to bust Amato as well, and with Tubbs having a meet with Amato, Ramone, Gentile in the same place as the missiles, they could all accomplish their goals. Castillo is still concerned about "another element" in this deal the Feds haven't told anyone about, but the deal goes down the next day. That night, Amato slams down his phone after a call and discovers the bug. Tubbs calls Amato back to save the deal and it's moved up to immediately. After meeting in a restroom and searching each other "just checking", they go to a boat to close the deal, and the Vice cops move in to arrest Amato and the Stingers are recovered. Taking Amato to court, another group of Federal agents ("the other element") show up with a court order to release Amato, as he has certain overseas contacts they are very interested in. Rita shows up just as Amato is released, pulls a gun and shoots while Crockett shouts NOOOOOOO! Notes * This is David Soul's (Hutch on Starsky & Hutch) only directing role in Miami Vice. His partner on Starsky & Hutch, Paul Michael Glaser, would direct three episodes. * Bruce Willis gives a preview of the "tough-guy" persona he would take to the big screen in the Die Hard series of movies. * This is the first episode that Michael Mann would be the only Executive Producer listed at the end of the episode. Series creator Anthony Yerkovich was listed as a co-Executive Producer for the first six episodes. Music *"Stay With Me" by Teddy Pendergrass (Amato slapping Rita around in house) *"I Don't Care Anymore" by Phil Collins (Crockett & Tubbs bust Amato) Quotes *"It's what I tried to tell you fellas, I've got the juice! -- ''Amato to the Vice cops after being released